Summer School (16 - 18 September 2025)

Gender Equity in Clinical Studies through Innovations and Solutions in Digital Health (GENESIS-DH)

The systematic gender data gap in medical research leads to an inadequate representation of gender-specific differences in clinical studies. This affects both the evidence base and the quality of health-related decisions and interventions.

The aim of the GENESIS-DH Summer School(16-18 September 2025 | Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 48155 Witten) is to address this problem in an interdisciplinary manner and to analyse the potential and risks of digital technologies to close this gap. Digital health offers new methodological approaches for improving the data situation and strengthening gender-sensitive research through the use of wearables and mobile sensor technology, digital survey instruments and AI-supported data analyses. At the same time, however, the use of digital health also harbours risks such as algorithmic distortions or the digital divide. In addition, there is a need for participatory research approaches that systematically involve patients, healthcare providers and citizens in the development, implementation and evaluation of clinical studies, thereby increasing their relevance and quality.

Participants in the Summer School will receive a sound introduction to the current state of research on the gender data gap and the potential applications and challenges of digital health. By applying the "Framework for Digital Health Equity" (Richardson et al., 2022), a structured approach to barriers and solution strategies in research and care will be opened up.

The Summer School offers space for theoretical reflection, methodological deepening and practical work on concrete case studies - and strengthens the dialogue between science, healthcare and civil society.